An investigation is underway after a worker was killed on the job in southeast Edmonton on Thursday.
Emergency crews were called to the South Haven Cemetery, in the area of Meridian Street and 50 Avenue, shortly before 3 p.m. after a worker was trapped under a paving machine.
Emergency personnel could be seen trying to free the man from under the machine, near the entrance sign of the cemetery. It’s not known how the man became trapped.
“There were no witnesses to what happened today so that’s still under investigation by Edmonton city police and Occupational Health and Safety,” District Chief Kim Grummett with Edmonton Fire Rescue Services said.
Grummett believes the man was a contract worker.
The man was declared dead at the scene by Alberta Health Services. The Medical Examiner was called to the scene, and it took some time for emergency crews to pull the man’s body from under the machine.
“It’s just the weight of the machine and it’s somewhat unstable in certain areas, you don’t want to bend it, you want to pick it up all in one unit,” Grummett said.
At around 9:30 p.m. Thursday, the City of Edmonton issued a news release saying people will not be allowed to visit the cemetery on Friday because of an ongoing safety investigation.
“Families are being asked to delay their visits until the cemetery reopens — likely Friday afternoon,” the city said. “The City apologizes for the inconvenience.”
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The cemetery was open again to public at 4 p.m. Friday.
Visitors are asked to call 311 for more information about the cemetery’s reopening.
Occupational Health and Safety is now investigating.
The man’s name and age have not been released.
In 2016, there were 144 workplace deaths in Alberta, one less than the 145 workplace deaths in 2012.
Between 2012 and 2016, just over 36 per cent of workplace deaths happened in the construction industry.
Watch below: It has been a deadly few weeks for Alberta workers but unfortunately, that’s not a new problem. Fletcher Kent has more on what the province wants to do to reduce the troubling statistics.
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